Durham, N.C. — Seven people face murder charges after Durham police found what they believe are the remains of a missing woman behind a home Wednesday, Police Chief Jose Lopez said.

Antoinetta Yvonne McKoy, 28, has been missing since December. Investigators have been searching intently for weeks for evidence in her disappearance and that of Jadon Higganbothan, 5, who was last seen in October.

"This is a great development if, in fact, it is Ms. McKoy to solve this case," Lopez said. "Everything indicates that it's her."

Regina Olivieri, who has a daughter with Sheilda Harris' husband, said she believes there was abuse going on in the home.

"I was worried for my daughter's life while she was there," Olivieri said.

Olivieri was fighting for custody of her daughter and had reported the alleged abuse to social services, she said. The girl is currently in foster care.

"I knew eventually something like this was going to happen," she said. "I warned them, I told them."

Peter Lucas Moses lived with several women at 2109 Pear Tree Lane in Durham. A confidential informant told police in February that both Jadon and McKoy were killed in the house and that their bodies were disposed of.

Police have searched the house repeatedly, and a search warrant states that they found a bullet, shell casing and evidence of human blood and "overt cleaning" inside.

A second search warrant stated that Peter Lucas Moses and Sisk were "directly involved" in the deaths of a woman and child.

Peter Lucas Moses, 27, was arrested in April on charges that he kidnapped a 16-year-old girl, hit her several times, pointed a semi-automatic gun at her and threatened to kill her.